Welcome to 2006!  I hope you had a great holiday season and traveled safely...  As for me, I drove across this beautiful state, twice.  The long way.  You really can tell when you hit the State Line - you can sleep in the car without the constant jostling of a bad road!

There has been some committee jostling that impacts my committees:  Corrections and Juvenile Justice committee was closed and our members were spread among other committees.  I was assigned instead to Governmental Organizations and Elections.  My other committees, (Commerce and Labor, Higher Education) remain the same.

As you might have already noticed by the buzzing in the airwaves, this is an election year.  Who is up?  EVERY Kansas Representative, and EVERY statewide office in Kansas - this means Governor/Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Secretary of State.  Oh yeah, and those Federal folks - ALL the U.S. House and a bunch of U.S. Senators.

Easy ways you can help this early in the year? 

• Is your Home Owners' Association having an annual meeting?  Invite me to stop in and meet people (I don't necessarily need any speaking time, although a minute or two would be great, I just enjoy putting faces with names!).
• Invite me to your PTA meeting to meet parents face-to-face, or even present a program on the status of the 2006 legislature.
• Part of a civic group (Rotary, Optimists, Lions, VFW, Red Hat, etc.)?  Invite me to speak at a breakfast or evening meeting!
• Have some friends over to your house for coffee, treats, and conversation about current events in Kansas.
• Sign a friend (or five) up for the Sharp Record!
• Reply to this email if any (or all:) of these interest you.

CALLING ALL PAGES, CALLING ALL PAGES...

I just spoke with the Page Office at the Capitol and there is good news!  Two parts:

1.  If your child has any availability to come next week, either Wednesday or Thursday (January 11, 12), please let me know.  The office is always short the first week of session, and they basically told me I could bring as many students as I could muster together!  So, if you can, this would be a great opportunity to page early in the year, and the Capitol will be packed with people.

2.  Other page dates - these are "first come, first serve", and we are only given 10 pages this year, so parents, check your calendars!  I usually pick up more as the session wears on, and will keep you apprised of additional dates as they become available.

• Wednesday, January 25 - 2 spots
• Wednesday, February 15 - 4 spots
• Thursday, March 23 - 4 spots 

Until then, look for the Sharp Record next Friday, the inaugural edition of the 2006 legislsative year.  I will be listing the bills I'm involved with so far this year and providing links to the legislative calendars so you can see what bills are being discussed during the week ahead.  That calendar is not available for next week, however.

At your service,

Rep. Stephanie Sharp

Capitol Phone - Call FREE From Johnson County 913-715-5000